Hunted
by RedCyanide
Summary: Never surrender to obsessions...Dark Ace/Piper/Aerrow
1. Losing control

**Chapter 1**

--

Atmosia was in danger, again. The fog of war covered the terra. You couldn't see anything, but blood, smoke and weapons. But the friendship and the love always save us. The Storm Hawks are an example of friendship; standing together and fighting for their freedom. But one person was easier to see than the others: a beautiful, dark-skinned young woman, Piper. Her bright, orange eyes shined with emotion and joy: they won.

Dark Ace's blood began to boil when he saw the Talons falling at her feet. She was young, but strong and her smile was enthralling. He groaned. He sees this girl every day and he doesn't realize how beautiful she is. He looked around: he was alone, the all Talons lied on the ground, moaning in pain. Before he could control his thoughts, he turned his skimmer and he got back to Cyclonia, letting the Storm Hawks in confusion.

"Why is he leaving?" Aerrow said, looking at his navigator. She ran a hand through her midnight-blue hair.

"I don't know." she said.

"Never mind! We won!" Finn said, smiling. Aerrow rubbed his forehead, looking very confused.

"Let's go." he said, flying towards the Condor.

--

The Cyclonian warrior landed on his home terra. He parked his Switchblade in the hangar and he tiptoed towards his room. He was as confused as Aerrow. He didn't know what has happened to him, he couldn't control his mind. He closed his crimson eyes for a second when he finally arrived in front of his room. Opening the door, he treaded to his bed and he sat down on it, rubbing his forehead.

'_I think I begin to go mad, acting without rationality.' _

He stood up and he slammed his fist against the wall, making his whole arm hurt. Suddenly, he remembered: _'Piper!' _His body trembled with excitement; his mind went crazy, spinning out of control. He walked almost blindly towards his bathroom and groped for the tap. He took his clothes off, letting the hot water to flow down on his body. His ruby eyes sparkled when the blue-head navigator appeared in his mind again. He couldn't believe that he survived without her all this time. Sighed deeply, he leaned against the wall. _"Piper will be mine."_

--

The young navigator closed the door. She has heard a lot of stupid explanations about Dark Ace's behavior and she had a terrible headache. She sat down on a chair and looked for an aspirin. _"I think Aerrow is right. It's something wrong...There you are!" _ She found the pastille and swallowed it with some water. _"I better get some sleep." _She took off her armor and lied down on the bed. Covering her with the blanket, she could hear Aerrow and Finn passing in front of her door, still arguing. The dark-skinned girl closed her amber eyes, grinning. _"Boys."_

_--_

_Flames..._

The Cyclonian warrior groaned and jumped from his bed. The nightmare was fresh in his mind: a girl, a boy, and then a fire. It started pleasant and finished awful. He blinked and looked around. The room was dark, but he could see the clock: 11:30. He frowned. He wasn't tired and he couldn't sleep. He stood up and left the room, walking on the corridor. He still saw that girl from his dream: dark-skinned, blue hair, orange eyes. Such a beautiful girl. Suddenly, he found himself in the hangar, but he still couldn't control his mind. He took off with his skimmer, with only one thought in his mind: Piper.

--

Everyone slept on the Condor, so they couldn't hear the skimmer landing in the hangar. A bronze skimmer, with red and sharp wings. The visitor treaded carefully on the halls, looking for traps. _"That stupid Merb can do anything to kill the intruders." _he thought. He was cagy, but...BANG...a huge frying pan fell from a shelf in front of him.

It didn't hit him, but it made a terrible noise. "Shit!" he cursed silently and began to run, hiding behind a closet. He pricked up his ears. Silence. _"Good!" _

After half an hour of groping on the Condor, he finally found what he was looking for. A door which had some words painted on it: "Piper's lab".

He silently opened the door. The girl slept. He didn't want to wake her, but his mind screams and his desire to taste her was too strong. He put his hand on her warm cheek. The girl started.

"What..." but she couldn't continue. Dark Ace grabbed her and pinned her into the wall. The terror from her tangerine eyes made him want her more than ever. She wanted to scream but he stopped her, pressing his lips against her soft ones. The taste of her mouth was amazing. He ran his hands on her slender body, wanting nothing more but rip those clothes.

Scared, Piper tried to escape, but he was really strong. She could do only one thing: punch him hardly into the stomach. He quickly retraced himself from her, making a big mistake. She screamed loudly, waking up the whole Condor. He left the room, running on the halls. He heard the others' voices: "It came from Piper's room". Seeing a shadow, he stopped. It was the sharpshooter, with a crossbow in his hand. Dark Ace held his breath when the blonde passed close to him.

"I don't find anything, Aerrow." he yelled. "I think Piper had a nightmare."

The Cyclonian warrior groaned annoyed when Aerrow came next to Finn.

"Are you sure?" the red-haired asked.

"Yes." the other replied. "I looked everywhere."

"Okay. Let's go!"

The intruder watched them leaving. _"Thank goodness!" _When he entered the hangar, he felt himself free. He took off, leaving the Condor in the darkness.

--

The sun rose above the Condor. The whole squadron was in the main deck.

"It doesn't make sense, Piper." Aerrow said. "Dark Ace, here!"

"I don't lie!" Piper snapped. "He was here, and he..."

"But I looked everywhere." Finn said, slamming his crossbow against the table. "I didn't find him."

Aerrow scowled. In fact, he didn't want to believe this. He loved Piper, and the image of Dark Ace kissing Piper drives him mad. He looked straight into her orange eyes.

"Okay, he was here, but he escaped. How?" he said, glaring at Finn. The sniper rolled his ocean eyes.

"I was alone and..." "Junko was searching too." Aerrow completed.

"Fine, I was with Junko, but I search in the left wing and he search in the right wing. I didn't find anything, he didn't find anything, so..."

"Did you look in the hangar?" Aerrow asked. Finn looked at Junko, Junko at Finn.

"Nope!" they said. Aerrow slapped his forehead.

"Ummm...I don't want to interrupt your conversation, but we are under attack." Stork said, pointing at some skimmers. The alarm rang and the red emergency light flashed. Quickly, Finn took a binocular and looked at them.

"Cyclonians." he said. "and Dark Ace is with them."

Piper looked at Aerrow. He frowned. "Let's go! Piper, you should stay here." She nodded. The boys ran to the hangar. Piper sighed. "Be careful, Aerrow!" she whispered.

--

**Ok, I get rid of exams and the summer holiday is coming, so I'll write more stories from now on. **

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	2. Trouble in engine's room

**Me: Yay! Euro 2008 has started!! Romania-France, on 9****th**** of June!! I love football!! **

**CHAPTER 2:**

**--**

Piper was on the Condor, looking anxiously at the window. A skimmer flew very close to the Condor's banister but she couldn't see it very good. Was it a Storm Hawk, or a Cyclonian? Stork pulled the Condor's helm to avoid a blast which was coming towards them. Piper slipped on the wet floor. Stork turned his head.

"Be careful, Piper. The floor is...ahhhhh!" Piper stood up, but she slipped again. A red blast of energy hit the one of Condor's engines and the ship was falling to the Wastelands. Stork coughed; the smoke was very thick. "Stork!" Piper screamed, coughing, too. "What happens?"

"One of the engines is dead. We're doomed!" Piper stood up; her left leg hurt terrible because of multiple slipping. "Where are you?"

"Here, next to temporal capsule." Piper crawled next to him. "I can't do anything. We'll fall down into the Wastelands and the magma eel will crunch our bones."

"Don't be so dramatic." Piper walked to the door. "I'll go into the engine's room. I think I can solve this problem."

"Piper, wait!!" Stork said, but she has already closed the door.

--

Piper limped on the Condor's halls. Her leg ached again. She collapsed next to the wall, moaning. _'Ouch! I have to go in the engine's room. I can't stay there and watch the Condor falling.' _She stood up, abutting the wall. She looked accidentally aloft and she saw an interface cable and a small cassette-like object: the alarm system. The cable was broke and the cassette-like thing was fuming. "Oh no!" she said. "Somebody has destroyed the alarms and that somebody can be..." She shook her head. "No, it can't be him." Suddenly, she heard a scream. "Stork! Stork! Oh no!" She knows it was him. Her eyes began to water. "Finally!" she said when she saw the door. 'The engine's room' She opened the door and a heat wave hit her. Stork was right: one of the engines was destroyed, but the other was still working. The engine crystals were glowing, but their power was weak. Piper frowned. _'I can't repair the destroyed engine, but I can make the other engine work properly. An energizer crystal would be enough.' _she thought. _'Where is that crystal?' _She turned around looked on the table, under it and behind a furnace. She was too busy and she didn't hear the creak. A tall, dark silhouette walked into the room. The Cyclonian leader stopped, smiling at the beautiful navigator, who didn't see him yet.

"Hi, Piper!" He said, making the girl scream.

"Dark Ace!" She took some steps backwards, but her stricken leg didn't help her. She fell on the greasy floor. Dark Ace smirked. "So, you have a problem with the engines." "It's not your problem!" She tried to stand up, but he pushed her back on the floor. He captured her lips, enjoying the orange taste. Grabbing her, he pinned her against the second engine, scattering the crystals. She moaned; the engine was hot and it burned her soft skin. The heat and the smell of fuel crystals were terrible.

"You shouldn't wear clothes." Dark Ace said. "It's really warm here." He started to rip her armor, making her struggle. He smirked again. "You can't escape now, my love!"

"Piper! Piper! Where are you?" Someone screamed. "Aerrow" she said, but Dark Ace put his hand on her mouth and pulled her behind a furnace.

"We better check up the engine's room, Aerrow." Finn's voice said. "The smoke is really thick."

"But Stork?" Junko said. "He's unconscious."

"I think it's because of the smoke." Aerrow said. "Let's go." He opened the door. "Weird, there's no smoke."

"Yes, but it's really warm here." Finn said.

"Look, that engine is destroyed." Junko said. "Can you repair it, Junko?" said Aerrow. "I want to look for Piper."

The girl tried to move her hands, but the Cyclonian held them in place. "Don't move!" he said. The red-haired leader frowned, looking at the scattered crystals. "Piper!" he shouted.

Dark Ace smirked. "Hey, Aerrow!" The teen turned around. "You! Where's Piper, you idiot!" Dark Ace smiled. "Where is she?"

"Aerrow, dude! Why are you screaming like that?" Finn said. He was about to slip his crossbow when he saw the Cyclonian leader. "Dark Ace!"

"Where is Piper?" Aerrow said, aiming his twin daggers. "I don't know." he said calmly. An arrow flew close to him and hit the wall; the sniper warned him.

"Aerrow." The wallop said. "I repaired the engine and...holly mother of god!"

Dark Ace took advantage of Aerrow's inadvertence and ran away. "Hey!" Finn screamed and aimed an arrow towards him, but he has already gone. Aerrow slammed his fist against the table. "Piper!"

"Aerrow! I'm here!" the red-haired teen ran to the furnaces. "Piper, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a bit scared." Aerrow noticed the rips on her armor, the burns, and he frowned. "He's not here. C'mon, go and get some sleep."

"The engine!" she moaned. "Junko repaired it. Go!" "I...I can't walk...my leg..."

"Did he..." "No, I slipped on the floor." "Okay, I'll help you."

--

Later, Piper was sleeping and the rest of the squadron was in the main deck. Aerrow was very angry. He couldn't believe Dark Ace duped me.

"Dude, this is really weird. I saw you fight with him. How..."

"It was a clone, Finn." Aerrow said, resting his elbows on the table. "The real Dark Ace was on the Condor. I was fighting with a clone." He slammed his fist against the table.

"Okay, but the alarms..." Junko said. Aerrow smiled disappointed.

"That blasts which hit the Condor were very good aimed."

"Blasts?" "Actually, arrows."

Finn scowled. "Ravess!"

"Yes" Aerrow said. "An arrow hit the engine, and the other arrow hit the alarm system. I found the cable. It was broke."

"But that smoke? In the engine's room was no smoke. The alarm cassettes were fuming, but..."

"I still don't know."

Aerrow looked at Finn; he nodded. "Piper is in danger. We can't let her alone."

"But he wasn't alone." Finn said desperately. "She was with Stork. But then he fainted because of the smoke and..." but he stopped when Stork scowled at him. "I fainted because of Dark Ace. The engine was destroyed and Piper went to repair it. I tried to stop her, but she didn't listen to me. Then I saw a silhouette, a red blast and I faint." He turned around. Aerrow sighed. _'Oh no!'_

"Maybe he didn't touch her." Junko said.

"Her clothes had rips." Aerrow screamed. "He abused her."

Finn looked at him. "You like Piper, don't you?"

"No. I don't like her. I love her! And I can't let Dark Ace touch her."

--

The Cyclonian leader slammed the door. _'That stupid sky knight!' _he thought. _'Piper will be mine anyway, he can't stop me!' _

--

**Me: I'm sorry if I exaggerate a bit with the engine's room. **

**Switzerland-Czech; I'm going to TV. Yay football! **

**PLEASE REVIEW **


	3. Developed feelings

**Me: Yay! The gold medal for Romania, at judo!! **

**Chapter 3**

FLASHBACK

_Piper looked at the trees that surrounded her. She was obviously in a forest, but she didn't know what forest. She raised her head and looked at the sky, through the green leafs. It seemed to be blue and cloudy. A sudden rustle made her turn around. She wasn't alone. _

"_Hello! Anybody there?" she said, moving towards a bush. Another rustle made her stop, looking anxiously around. Then, she saw a silhouette, a silhouette with messy red hair and sparkling green eyes. His skin was so white; it almost shined in the darkness "Aerrow?" The odd figure beckoned her to follow him. She hesitated, but then followed him. The silhouette was leading her to a glade. The trees were rarer there and the sun was lighting a bit that part of the forest. Piper stopped._

"_Why did you take me there?" she asked the red haired figure, but it disappeared. Its place was taken by another silhouette: a black-haired one, with red glowing eyes._

"_No!"_

Piper woke up gasping and sweating abundantly. Her pink tank top was all wet. Looking around, she saw just her old lab, her desk, a box with crystals and some clothes scattered on the floor and on a chair. Standing up, she went to the bathroom to take a shower. Closing her eyes, she let the hot water flow on her slender body. The feeling started to erase slowly the dream from her head, but she still remembered some moments: trees, a red-haired figure, a glade and then...She closed her eyes tightly to cast out the other figure from her mind. She took the shower gel and began to massage her body, enjoying the smell of oranges.

--

Dark Ace frowned, knocking at the archer's door. "Ravess! Ravess! I know you're there. Open this fucking door!"

The pink-haired archer opened the door slapdash. "Why the fuck are you screaming like that? I'm here!" Dark Ace shot her a venomous glare and entered the room.

"I've told you to keep the Storm Hawks busy until I finish my job! You failed! They came back to the Condor earlier." Ravess frowned.

"You know something, Dark Ace! I don't care about your businesses! I've kept Storm Hawks busy as much as I can."

Dark Ace tightened his fists. "You disappointed me!" He turned around to leave. He was about to close the door, when Ravess asked him.

"What did you do as I was fighting those punks?" Dark Ace stopped. "Something you'll never find out." And he left.

--

After she finished the shower, Piper looked for some clothes. She dressed with a blue tank top with a teddy bear on it and a pair of three-quarters blue jeans. Looking around her room, she decided to tidy it up a bit. She took all her crystals and put them in a chest, and then she started to draw her clothes. Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. Piper froze with a pair of green shorts in a hand and a red T-shirt with white strips in the other hand.

"Piper! It's me, Aerrow! Can I enter?" Piper threw the clothes from her hands across the room. They landed right into the wardrobe and Piper closed the doors. "Yes, Aerrow! Come in!"

Aerrow opened the door. He looked a bit angry and anxious at the same time.

"How are you?" he asked her, coming closer to her. Piper blinked. If she would tell him about her nightmare, he would be more anxious, or maybe he'll think he's guilty for what has happened.

"I'm fine." Aerrow smiled. "You know, Piper, I feel guilty for what has happened" _'Man!' _Piper closed her eyes for a second.

"It's not your fault, Aerrow." she began. Aerrow took a deep breath.

"I would never forgive myself if you get hurt, Piper! Because...I care about you. Very much." he kissed her on lips and then quickly left the room, leaving Piper in shock. She sat on the bed and touched her lips. His words were still echoing into her ears. _'Because...I care about you. Very much.' _ _'So, he cares about me and...He kissed me' _She started when the clothes that were heaped into the wardrobe forced the doors and they wide open with a loud creak. _'At least, that week isn't so awful, as I've thought.' _

--

A man was walking on a murk street from a suburb, on Terra Gale. He has got sandy hair and dark blue eyes. He looked around and then he walked between two apartment houses.

"I'm so glad you came." a voice said and the man looked at him. He was standing in the darkness, so he couldn't see his face.

"I'm here." he said with a rough voice. "Why did you call me?"

"I want you to do something for me." the stranger said. "To kidnap a girl." the man smirked. "Gimme more details about this girl."

The stranger moved involuntary. "Midnight blue hair and orange eyes. Her name is Piper."

The man's eyes wide open. "The Storm Hawks' girl? I'm sorry, but I don't wanna have any problems with the council." He wanted to leave, but the stranger pulled out a sword, a double-bared sword, and put it at his throat. "You'll do it, or I'll kill you. Understood?"

The man nodded as the stranger (well, he's not a stranger anymore) smirked.

--

**I hope you liked this chapter. **

**The poll is still up, so please vote!!**

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	4. Kidnapped

**Chapter 4 – Kidnapped**

**--**

Walking up and down her room, Piper was thinking. She hated to admit she was a bit scared. The experiences from the engine's room and that night disturbed her. She was feeling her skin crawl everytime she was thinking of those filthy hands touching her skin and those lips violating her mouth. Chills went through her body and she rubbed her arms. And then, there was Aerrow. Piper was always feeling safe when she was with him. She knew that, with Aerrow around, nobody would hurt her, not even Dark Ace. Her face widened into a smile. Everytime she remembered his words she wanted to jump around like crazy, grinning like a maniac. Maybe someday their paths will cross. Who knew?

Meanwhile on the main deck, Aerrow was tapping his fingers on the circular table.

"I think we'll have to stop on Terra Gale," Aerrow said, turning to Stork. "We need to buy some food."

"And the fuel crystals don't sit pretty, too." Junko said, entering the main deck, his face sullied with coal. The door opened once again to reveal Piper, dressed in her normal blue-and-orange uniform. Her amber eyes met Aerrow's emerald ones and she blushed, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"What going on?" she asked, her gaze moving from the floor to Junko's stained face and then to the window.

"We need to buy food and some fuel crystals. "Aerrow elucidated her, walking next to Stork. Piper nodded.

"I'll go to buy food." Aerrow's head snapped in her direction. "No way! I don't want…" his handsome face features twisted into a scowl, "Dark Ace to hurt you again."

"Dude, calm down," Finn said, ruffling his blonde hair with a smug smile. "Piper can't get hurt when she has "The Finnster" defending her. I'm always ready for some action." he confirmed his words by raising the crystal-powered crossbow.

"Like yesterday?" Aerrow said through his gritted teeth. Finn's arm dropped to his side.

"Don't worry, Aerrow." Piper said, her cheeks as red as a peony. "I don't need anybody to defend me." Aerrow's mouth opened to say something against her decision, but she cut him off. "He wouldn't think to search for me here, would he?" Aerrow bit his lower lip. He'd rather jump into the Wastelands than let Piper get hurt. But now he agreed with her, Dark Ace wouldn't think to search for her here, on Terra Gale. Too bad he had no idea how wrong they were.

--

After ten minutes, the Condor landed on the plain, green meadow of Terra Gale. Junko and Aerrow went to buy the fuel crystals and Piper went to the nearest shop to buy food. She returned with two green shopping bags which she handed to Finn. The sniper was about to put them on the table when Piper exclaimed suddenly: "I've lost my wallet!" Finn looked into the bags, among bread, sausages and packets with margarine.

"It's not here." he said. Piper bit her lip, sighing. "I think I left it at the store." she said. "Wait here, I'm going to retrieve it."

Piper left, becoming more and more worried. If she left it on the counter, she could still find it, but what if it fell off her pocket on the street and someone took it. The sun began to drop from the skies, the light stretching the shadows in odd ways.

'_Uh, good, that's exactly what I needed now!' _she thought sarcastically, rushing her steps. She didn't want to be belated.

A dark silhouette appeared out of the blue in front of her, catching her wrists and twisting her arms behind her. "What…?" then she stopped, panic flooding her brain. _'Dark Ace!'_ overwhelmed by fear, she struggled to escape, trying to kick the person. A tear flowed down her cheek, leaving a wet trail sparkling on her chocolate skin.

"Fi…!" she tried to scream, but a gloved hand slapped above her mouth, keeping her from advertising the sniper.

"Don't you eve_rrr_ think to do this, young lady." a rough voice said in a thick French accent. Piper's eyes widened. It wasn't Dark Ace! She thrust her body one more time before biting the hand covering her mouth. A foul taste of rubber filled her mouth as she stepped aside, turning to the sandy-haired man who was clutching his hand.

"Bitch!" he launched himself at her, but she dodged him. He turned again to her, but she 'applied' him a Baji Quan elbow strike right into his stomach. He gasped once or twice, obviously unable to breathe properly as Piper's feet connected with his shin and hip bone. At the third strike, aimed to his knee, he grabbed his ankle, making her fall to the ground. She saw in terror how he drags his fist backwards, preparing for a final blow. She raised her arm in front of her face in vain. The hard fist connected to her temple and everything went black.

--

Finn watched Aerrow and Junko put two boxed with orange fuel crystals on the Condor's floor. Aerrow eyed the bags on the round table.

"Where's Piper?" Finn waved his hand in dismay. "She went to retrieve her wallet from the shop." Aerrow's eyes widened as his auburn-haired head turned to the sharpshooter.

"You let her go there alone!" he said, praying for the answer to be no, but he know it wasn't.

"Yes, dude, she said she'll be fine. She…" Aerrow didn't wait to hear the rest of the sentence. He tailed off on the foot bridge, running as fast as he could, praying to find Piper there, safe.

"Aerrow!" Finn stopped next to him, clutching his side. The Sky Knight looked around. No sign of Piper. A blue, sparkly thing caught his eye. It was a necklace. Piper's necklace. Aerrow's fingers tightened around the blue crystal. _'No!'_

--

**Ta-dam! A new chapter after almost one year of hiatus. Maybe I'll the next chapter this week, I have an exam tomorrow, but I think they'll postpone it because our teachers are on strike.**

**I planned something evil for Piper in the next chapter *evil grin* Reviews make me smile!**


	5. Hurt

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry I was late with this chapter. School has been a total pain.**

**Chapter 5**

**--**

Piper opened her eyes, blinking once or twice to get accustomed to the reddish light teasing her eyelids. The first thing she was aware of was a dull headache, her head throbbing in pain. Her dark-skinned hand almost floated towards her head, rubbing gently a certain spot where a bump could be felt. Groaning, she scanned the unknown room surrounding her with her beautiful tangerine eyes. It was a nice, fancy room built in a gothic style, decorated with two huge wardrobes, bookshelves, tables and bronze statues. Looking around, she realized she was standing on a king-sized bed covered in red silk. In fact, everything around was red, even that little piece of sky that could be seen out of the curtain-framed window. A shred of fear pierced her chest like a sharp dagger.

"Aerrow!" her unsure voice cut through the air, shivering.

"I'm afraid he's far away from here." Piper's head snapped in the direction of that cold voice. In the doorframe, leaned against it and wearing a mischievous, evil-looking smirk, was standing her worst nightmare. The Dark Ace.

--

Aerrow entered his room angry, the automatic door slamming shut behind him. He let himself fall on the nearest chair, throwing a disappointed look towards the opposite wall. It was all his damn fault! He shouldn't have left Piper with Finn, he should have defended her himself. Now she was in danger just because of him and his stupidity. His left fist hit the cast iron table, making it shake awfully and sending sharp spasms of pain up his arm. Small, red spots of blood appeared on his fist in the place where it connected with the hard surface. He completely deserved to feel all this pain for what he has done. He ran his thumb above the stinging skin of the side of his palm, feeling small, hot tears form in his emerald eyes. He just kept repeating, over and over again, a simple, yet answerless question: why?

A soft knock at the door made him startle and wipe the tears off his pale cheeks. The door opened and revealed the concerned sharpshooter, still holding his crossbar.

"Aerrow, dude, I'm sorry." Finn said, running a hand through his blonde hair. He actually made a habit of this. His free hand tapped Aerrow's back easily, conciliatorily. Aerrow raised his leaf-green eyes towards him.

"What are you talking about?" Finn shivered at Aerrow's sorrowful voice. "It was my fault." Finn shook his head slightly.

"No, dude, it wasn't. It was my fault, I shouldn't have let her go alone to the shop, I should be sorry."

"Yet, I should have fended her as well. It's my fault." Aerrow continued stubbornly.

"Aerrow, it's not exactly the right time to argue about whoever was guilty." Finn grabbed his arm firmly, pulling him on his feet. "And you know what, I'm not gonna stand here doing nothing. We'll go after her." Aerrow smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Finn." Finn put on his signature goofy smile and pistol-like hands.

"No problemo!"

--

Piper's eyes widened in terror when she saw the form of the man she hated and feared the most approaching her. His smirk seemed even more vicious when he was just at a half a metre distance of her. Piper could almost feel her heart banging against her ribcage. Blood is being pounded against her veins so harshly that it's almost audible and insufferable.

"Don't touch me!" the venomous snarl was so terrible that it made Dark Ace stop for a brief second. Then a smile spread across his lips.

"My dear Piper, how could you think I wouldn't…?" Bang! Piper's fist connected with Dark Ace's jaw, the force of the blow jerking his head to the side. Fear was motivating her to attack. She jumped off the bed and ran towards the door, but a strong arm grabbed her and jerked her around, pushing her roughly against the oak wood door. The door handle pressed her side, pushing between her ribs painfully, making her clench her teeth. His calloused hand grabbed her jaw, banging her head against the door. For a split second, Piper saw stars dancing before her eyes. Dark Ace sneered unpleasantly.

"You'll regret this soon, young lady." His lips crashed against hers. Piper's stomach was spinning with nausea. She felt like she was going to throw up as soon as his tongue broke the barrier of her teeth, exploring her mouth hungrily as if it was a precious thing he must have.

Breaking the kiss, he grabbed her by waist and threw her on the bed. She landed on it with a slight sound. With her eyes closed, she could hear Dark Ace climbing in the bed above her. All she's got to do now is to beg in her mind: _'Aerrow! Please, come and save me.'_

--

**I hope it's not bad. And thanks for all those wonderful reviews, they made me jump around like crazy for almost five minutes.**

**Bye, and don't forget to leave a review!**


	6. Helpless

**A/N: I'm sorry for the delay, I've been in hospital all this time: I had an appendectomy and I couldn't find time to write. **

**--**

**Chapter 6**

Aerrow rested his hand on the table, tapping his fingers lightly against the hard surface. His right leg was shaking constantly, nervously. He couldn't stay still, he had to move, he had to do something to stay sane. A feeling of guilt was drowning him everything he was keeping still. It was choking him and he had to fidget on his chair to make it disappear.

Finn raised his head when the red-haired boy stood up and began to walk up and down the main deck. Stork nodded his head dramatically. "Yeah, we're doomed!"

Finn scowled at him as Aerrow stopped by the window, looking absently at the foamy, fluffy circles of clouds caressing the Condor's deck. The sharpshooter ran a hand through his blonde hair. "We have to find her." he said. "But where can she be?"

Aerrow gritted his teeth. "I know a single place: Cyclonia."

--

A horrified scream escaped Piper's broad, red lips as she felt the Cyclonian commander lean over her. "Scream as much as you want, Piper." he said. "Nobody will hear you." His voice was husky and dripping with lust, which made her cringe, shutting her eyes tightly. A cold hand followed the curve of her neck and she shuddered like she had been electrocuted. Her hands clutched the sheets, hoping that it'll end soon, and painless. She tried hard to ignore the lips sucking and biting at her neck like a blood-thirsted vampire, but she failed. She was fully aware of what will happen: she will be raped and there was nobody to help her.

'_Aerrow! Please, where are you?'_

She didn't even dare to open her eyes. She felt like she couldn't stand seeing his face. It would make the nightmare even more real. Dark Ace ripped off her uniform top. Piper gritted her teeth when the chilly air hit her bare chocolate skin. Dark Ace grinned maniacally as he pulled at a strap of her bra, then he let it off. The elastic strap slapped her skin, making her moan. "It stings, doesn't it?" he purred, cupping her chin. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he growled, backhanding her across her face and leaving a dark red print on her soft skin. She just couldn't stop a scream of pain to erupt from her throat, making his grin grow even wider. Her orange eyes opened instantly, meeting his crimson ones.

"It hurts, doesn't it? But this was nothing compared to what I'm going to do next." Her face was still itching.

'_Please, Aerrow, don't leave me here.'_

She felt the clasps of her bra loosen and the straps sliding off her shoulders. His hands began to rub slowly her chest, then down to her breast, pinching her nipples. It trailed down her flat abdomen, making its way to the bottom of her uniform, slowly, but surely.

'_Come and save me, Aerrow.'_

It was the pants' turn to be ripped off and thrown somewhere in the room. Piper began fidgeting, her mind praying hotly for someone to come and save her. Dark Ace realized this and put his hand on Piper's cheek. "What's worth praying for? Nobody will come after you."

"Aerrow will come." she said through her gritted teeth. "I know this!" she paid for those words. His palm collided with her cheek so hard that she head snapped to the side.

"You fool!" he growled in her ear, taking off his red pants. His hand tightened around her lace panties and ripped them off too. The sight made him incredibly hard. He placed the tip of his cock over her hot hole. "Try not to scream." he growled.

Epic fail. Piper's scream reverberated through the whole room, almost making the windows shake. He kept penetrating her hard and fast, the slapping sound if skin hitting skin filling the room. Piper screamed again. It was agonizing, like he was trying to tear her in two with a sharp sword. Dark Ace seemed to enjoy seeing her in pain. It was turning him on more than anything. This made him increase the speed, pounding harder, faster, in a sick rhythm. Piper's screams got louder, but now they were accompanied by his own moans and groans.

"Mmmm…I'm gonna…" It wouldn't last long. With an animalistic groan, he came, shooting his semen deep inside Piper. Piper moaned. It was over.

Dark Ace smirked at her, picking his pants from the floor. "Nice performance!" he said, before pulling his pants on and leaving the room. Piper heard a small _click _and she knew he had locked the door behind him. There was no escape from that damned room. Piper brought her knee to her chest, hugging them tightly. She began to sob, her breath coming out in heavy gasps. She couldn't believe what has just happened. She wanted to be home, safe, on the Condor.

'_Aerrow!'_

--

**Well… -runs and hides-**

**I hope it's not that bad. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

**Reviews are welcome!**


	7. Rescuing

Curled into a ball onto the king-sized bed, Piper sobbed ceaselessly. She felt so dirty, so pitiful, so helpless. She wanted to make him pay for what he's done, but she couldn't. She couldn't move. What would Aerrow say when he'd find out what happened? Would he hate her, or would he feel sorry for her? Would he leave her, or would he help her? Tears trailed down her cheeks slowly, staining the crimson sheets.

'_Aerrow'_

Everything she could think about now was Aerrow.

--

"Finn!" Aerrow shouted across the corridor furiously. Where did that clown disappear?

"Yeah!" One of the doors burst open and the blonde sharpshooter stormed out of the door, stumbling into the hall. "Aerrow, I don't know what to say." He said when he stopped in front of his leader. "It may be dangerous." His voice faded away when he saw the fierceness dancing into the young Sky Knight's green eyes.

"Piper is there with Dark Ace!" he almost screamed. "I don't even want to think about what could happen to her." His voice faded away as well, strong emotions overwhelming him. He was still feeling so guilty. He should have protected her. A tear rolled down his cheek. He had just found out how much he loves her; he didn't want to lose her so fast, so easily.

Finn watched Aerrow wipe away his tears. He clenched his fist around the handle of his crossbow.

"Don't worry, Aerrow!" he said, winking encouragingly. "We're going to find her."

'Aerrow,' Stork's voice said through the intercom. 'We have just entered Cyclonia's airspace.'

Aerrow turned around sharply, walking through the automatic door, followed closely by Finn. He watched the red clouds float around the Condor, lightning whipping through them occasionally. He pulled one of Stork X-Ray Peepers, examining the closest tower of the fortress. Two Talons were standing there with staffs in their hands. Sentinels.

"I need your help here, Finn." Finn put on his signature pistol-like hands. The gangway opened and Finn stepped on it, letting the wind blow through his blond hair. He brought his crossbow up to his face, carefully eyeing the sentinels through the spyglasses. In a brief second, the crystal-powered arrow flew, knocking out one of the Talons. He fell flat on his back at his mate's feet, making him startle.

"What the hell?" he didn't have time to see what hit him. Another arrow whizzed in the air, knocking him unconscious. Finn smirked.

"Chica-cha!"

Aerrow smiled when the sniper walked back in the main deck, the gangway closing behind him.

"Well done!" he congratulated him. If they were lucky enough, nobody would realize the sentinels were gone. He turned to Stork.

"Stork, you, Radarr and Junko stay here, in case something happens. Me and Finn will go inside." Junko and Radarr nodded as Stork muttered something under his breath which sounded very much like 'We're doomed!'

--

The hangar automatic door opened and Aerrow and Finn ran to their skimmers. "Okay, Stork, we're ready."

The huge doors opened. Aerrow tightened his fists on the handlebar. The engine came to life with a loud noise and smell of fuel crystals. The metallic wings spread in the air and the vehicle floated in front of the Condor. Aerrow felt the chilly wind caress his face gently.

'_Hold on, Piper!'_

--


	8. Waiting for you

**(falls to knees) Sorry for not updating for so long! xD**

**--**

Hands tightened into fists around the crimson sheets covering the king-sized bed. She should have been feeling like a queen standing of top of it, but she wasn't. She had never felt so miserable before. She had never needed Aerrow so much before.

--

"Shhh!" Aerrow hissed for what felt like the hundredth time as Finn tripped over the irregular metal floor. Finn waved his free hand in apology. They were inside the Cyclonian fortress. The last thing they wanted to happen was to get caught.

"Aerrow," Finn whispered, "do you even know what direction to take?" The red-head frowned, but in his head he was agreeing with him. He didn't know where Piper could have been. Well, he had presumption, but the mere thought of it was making him sick at his stomach. Things couldn't have gone _that _far, could they?

A sudden creak made his heart stop. Finn clutched the handle of his crossbow tighter, every muscle inside his body tensing. A single shot could have taken out the enemy easily; the problem was that he didn't know where they were coming from. Aerrow could hear his heart thud against his ribcage as small steps resounded along the stainless steel corridor. A blur of white and blue appeared in front of his eyes and little paws clawed at the pants of his uniform.

"Radarr!" Aerrow exclaimed, pressing the heel of his palm against his chest. "You scared me half to death!" he scratched the top of his head, the sky monkey purring softly under his touch. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay on the Condor."

Radarr screeched and a bulb lit inside Finn's head. "Aerrow, he can help us. Maybe he can take Piper's scent and lead us to her." Radarr nodded quickly, pricking up his ears. He let himself fall on all of his four legs, sniffing the cold floor.

--

Her delicate fingers traced the lightly bruised skin of her hips, eyes barely seeing anything because of so much tears spilled. Her mind was a mess, but one thing was for sure: she couldn't stay there. She had to get away, to escape, to run as far as possible from that…_monster_. She slowly rose to her feet, unstable, staggering. Muscles hurt at every little move she was making, but she was coping. Fingers reached the doorknob, twisting it slowly, but the door wouldn't move. A fist banged against the oak wood, but it remained still, silent. She forgot he had locked her in. Her back banged against the door and she slid down on the floor, arms wrapping around her knees. Sobs fell out heavily as she tried to pull up with the idea of having no escape.

--

"Dude, I think this is the fourth time we walk past that statue."

Aerrow's head turned around to the bored sharpshooter, fixing him with a deadly glare.

"Why don't _you _lead the way?" he whispered harshly. "Radarr is doing his best." Radarr screeched disappointed. That place was so twisted that he had the sensation they have been running in a circle all that time. Finn tapped his foot into the floor, impatiently, and really loud at the same time.

"Finn, _shush_! You're going to…"

Too late. A metal door slammed somewhere not far from them and two Talons appeared from round the corner, holding two crystal-powered staffs.

"Don't move!" Finn let out a high-pitched scream as Aerrow took hold of his sleeve and dragged him towards him. "Run!!"

The three ran in the opposite direction, Talons hot on their heels. "They're escaping!" Another doors slammed and Talons appeared out of nowhere right in front of them.

"Damn!" Aerrow muttered under his breath as Cyclonian soldiers blocked their way. Radarr growled ominously and Finn powered his crossbow. An arrow flew, knocking the staff out of the closest Talon's hand. At the same time, Radarr jumped on his face. The Talon began running around in circles, screaming and trying to get rid of the sky monkey. Taking advantage of the agitation Radarr provoked, Aerrow knocked two Talons out of his way, dragging out his twin daggers.

"Well, well, well! If it's not Aerrow of the Storm Hawks." A cold voice cut through the noise of the brawl, making everyone taking part in it, Talon and Storm Hawk, stop. Aerrow felt his blood boil through his veins as he turned his emerald eyes to the tall, dark-haired man.

"Dark Ace!"

--

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Reviews are welcome!**


	9. A straw of hope

**I'm sorry for the delay, but the summer holiday has just begun! xD**

* * *

Anger lit up those beautiful emerald eyes when they fixed upon the Cyclonian Commander. The hatred for the dark haired man had been fueled up even more, threatening to burst out of the Sky Knight's chest. Aerrow never felt so much hate before, he was literally burning, hands gripping the handles of his twin daggers so tight that his knuckles turned dead white. He was trembling, but he was determined: he was going to take down Dark Ace today.

Finn could feel his friend's anger and backed down slightly, when he heard Aerrow call his name. "Finn, you and Radarr should keep looking for Piper. I'll take care of him." He was trying to keep his voice calm, but at the last sentence it cracked slightly. Finn nodded. He knew better than stay there and be caught in the battle. Radarr flipped forward and jumped on one of the Talons' leg, biting down hard. The Cyclonian stumbled, knocking two other mates while trying to get rid of Radarr. Finn head butted another Talon and made his way through them, running away. The rest of the Talons followed him and the sky monkey.

Aerrow stood in place, facing the Cyclonian Commander. A smirk twisted the older man's broad lips. "Piper, huh?" Aerrow's scowl deepened even more when the man mentioned the girl's name. "So you came here for her. How nice of you!" With a loud growl, the redhead threw himself at the man, flipping to kick him, but he blocked him and delivered a punch to his stomach. The hit did nothing to Aerrow, only fueled his anger. He felt no pain now. He would have endured any pain for Piper. Everything for her.

He heard the sound of the double barred sword rub against its metal case and quickly jumped back to avoid being cut. Dark Ace slashed at him and the clash between the sword and the daggers sending shivers through their spines. The Cyclonian pressed the sword harder into the daggers, but Aerrow's strong arms didn't give in the pressure. Dark Ace pulled back, giving Aerrow another unpleasant smirk.

* * *

"Dammit! Are they going to chase us through the whole Cyclonia?" Finn almost screamed, holding his left side as he ran ceaselessly through the narrow corridor with a herd of Talons hot on his heels. Radarr screeched sharply. 'Think of something, think of something!' Finn said to himself. He wasn't the best at coming up with plans. Suddenly, he spotted a narrower corridor on the left side of the one he was running on now. He had just to do something to catch the Talons' attention.

His hand motioned by instinct to grip the handle of the crossbow. He kissed the tip of the crystal powered arrow, praying it would work. He turned at fired at the floor, right in front of the Talons. He heard the small explosion as soon as he turned back and started running towards the other hall. When the blue mist caused by the crystal powered arrow vanished, he and Radarr already disappeared, leaving the Talon to shrug and scratch their heads.

Tiptoeing through the narrow hall, Finn found himself into a larger chamber with doors on every side of it. It was different than the other chambers he had seen. The architecture was more complicated and more beautiful as well.

"Where are we?" Finn asked himself aloud. Radarr looked around puzzled as Finn crossed his arms.

"Great! We're never going to find Piper in this labyrinth." He said loudly, raising his hands in the air. It was then when he noticed something was happening with Radarr. He was growling quietly and sniffing the floor and the wall.

"What's going on?" Radarr screeched louder, almost like he was calling for somebody. And suddenly, Finn heard a noise and almost screamed: somebody was banging into a door.

"What's going on?" he repeated, voice sounding scared. A familiar, very familiar voice answered.

"Finn, is that you?" Finn's ocean eyes went wide with surprise. "Piper," he whispered. "Piper," he shouted. "Where are you?" But the one who answered the question was Radarr, who pricked up his ears and led to a door right in the middle of a wall. Finn ran to it and placed his palm on the wooden surface.

"Piper, you here?" he tapped his fingers onto it and an idiotic smile appeared when she answered with another tap into the door. "Yes." Finn tried the handle, but the door was locked. He smirked. Nothing stops "The Finnster", not even a locked door. He pulled out his crossbow and an arrow.

"Step back, please." He heard her move and aimed for the safety latch. He shot. The arrow pierced through the metal lock and the door flew open, revealing the person inside. Finn looked compassionately at the lean figure of the girl, her uniform ripped and dirty and face streaked with tears, but lit up by hope at the sight of her friend. Finn stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, letting her bury her head into the crook of his neck.

"C'mon, let's get out of here."

* * *

**Reviews make me smile. ^_^ **


	10. Deja vu

**Okay, I know I haven't updated this story in like, two years, but I hope there are people still interested in it. xD Sooo...sorry for the huge delay. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Metal hit metal with a screeching sound; Aerrow could see the blade of his dagger slip down the length of his arch enemy's sword until it hit the guard. The double blade came dangerously close to his face, threatening cut into him. He jumped backwards, avoiding Dark Ace's furious slash. Never in his life had he feel so angry; he fumed at the very sight of the man that not only that betrayed his father and contributed to his death, but also now kidnapped and hurt the person he loved more than he loved himself.

That man must die.

Lunging forward, he slashed blindly at the man in front of him, but in his rage, he didn't realize he was being quite predictable. Dark Ace avoided all of his attempts to harm him. Smirking, he brought his sword up, barely missing Aerrow's torso, who pulled back astounded. It could have been a critical hit. He wasn't the only one that seek to get rid of their enemy forever. Dark Ace was aiming to kill him.

He tried calculating his moves, but it was hard to even think while seeing the older man's smirk mocking him. He'd taken something away from Aerrow and he enjoyed it to the fullest. The redhead gritted his teeth, gripping the daggers harder.

"Aren't you gonna attack me?" He taunted; he knew he could trick the hot-headed Sky Knight into making a wrong move. And then...off with his head. He smiled to himself. He moved the sword from his right hand to his left, almost nonchalantly. "I thought you were set on not letting me see another sunrise." Aerrow's grip on his dagger tightened to the point where his knuckles became white under his gloves. "Or are you too weak to kill me?"

Without a second thought, Aerrow lunged forward once again. The tip of his blade caught the Cyclonian's shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the red flash; he had time to scramble away just enough so the blade won't sink too deep into his side. It still hurt like hell, though. Wincing, he dropped a dagger and he brought his hand to the cut, staining it ruby red. The same ruby red that flowed down the Cyclonian's shoulder. The amused, bashing expression on his face was gone.

Aerrow barely managed to avoid the furious attack; the double bladed sword hit the floor with a dull sound. The wound was slowing him down; he exhaled harshly through his mouth, nearly doubling over. If the bleeding didn't stop, things weren't going to last too long. He cursed. Fury had blinded him when he was supposed to be rational. He wasn't going to give up though. He wouldn't disappoint Piper. He wouldn't let that man get away with what he's done to Piper.

Thinking of Piper seemed to give him strength. He ducked the slash that would've cut his head clean off; the dagger he dropped was now across the room. He curled his hand and sank his fist as hard as his weaker left arm allowed him, right between the Cyclonian's ribs. He didn't have time to enjoy the moment as the older man's forearm crashed into his face. He couldn't control his fall and he slammed into the floor, hitting the back of his head in the process. The room suddenly became fuzzy and a warm stream was slowly flowing down his face. He couldn't feel his nose nor his lips.

He heard a cough.

He rolled on his unharmed side; blood dripped everywhere. At this rate, he wouldn't have a drop left in his body. What a ridiculous way to die.

The coughing stopped. He wondered, why did he punch him? Why didn't he just try to stab him with the energy dagger he still clutched in his right arm. Maybe Dark Ace was right. Maybe he was too weak to kill him.

He laid his head on the floor, letting the cold numb the pain he felt in his entire body.

"I'm sorry, Piper."

* * *

"What do you mean you don't remember how you got here?" Finn slumped to the floor, trying to make himself as small as possible.

"Well, I've been chased around those halls by a bunch of Talons who wanted to kick my ass, I wasn't exactly looking where I was going." He protested, watching Radarr try to sniff their way out. The sky monkey's ears fell slightly, then he completely froze.

Piper was the first to notice his stillness. "Radarr, what's wrong?" The furred creature stared idly, still not moving. Finn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but just as he opened his mouth to voice it, Radarr sprinted along the poorly lit corridor, taking both of them by surprise.

"Radarr, wait!" Piper shouted, running after him.

Finn joined him half-heartedly. "What's gotten into him?"

He received a shrug for answer. Radarr kept running and running, unresponsive to Finn and Piper's shouts. He's felt it, unmistakably. Something had happened to Aerrow.

* * *

His left cheek had gone numb with coldness, as opposed to the rest of his face, which burned. The sound of footsteps got closer and when they stopped, someone jerked him off the floor by his arm. Blood had seeped out of his opponent's wounded shoulder and dripped down his arm. His red eyes bore holes into his, so intensely he had to avert his eyes.

"You are so much like your father." Anger rushed through Aerrow. How dare he mention his father, the man he was supposed to be loyal to. The man who was supposed to be his friend.

"Don't talk about my father." he snapped, less fiercely that he intended to. The Dark Ace's grin widened, and his grip on Aerrow's arm got tighter. The boy struggled, but the blood loss weakened him severely. He watched the older man raise his sword above his head, wincing as he forced his wounded shoulder. He felt sick at his stomach.

"You will have the same fate as him." A skimmer plummeting towards the fiery Wastelands invaded Aerrow's mind, along with the disturbing image of his own beheaded body. He will die by the hands of the same man that murdered his father. Fate has a cruel sense of humor.

Just as he braced himself, something unexpected happened. A blur of blue crashed into the side of Dark Ace's head with a screech, sending him sprawling several meters away. Taken by surprise and no longer held up by a force, Aerrow fell backwards. The gash on his side throbbed painfully, and his vision got dizzier and dizzier. He could see two silhouettes running towards him; his eyes fixed on the slimmer, more feminine one. It looked so familiar and his heart jumped in his throat.

He was losing grip on reality. His vision went back before any of the silhouettes could reach him.


End file.
